Test Drive Audi A3 Sportback E-TRON 2013 - HB Hatchback

All photos Audi A3 Sportback E-TRON 2013 - NV

"A" or "B"?

Test BMW 120i, Audi A3 Sportback
BMW 120i.

The first BMW Compact Class debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2004. Body 5-door hatchback.
Engines: gasoline 1.62.0 l (115150 l. P.) And turbodiesel 2.0 l (122
163 l. with.). The last to Russia is not yet supplied.
Transmission: Mechanical 5 or 6-speed and 6-speed automatic. Rear drive.
Complete set: basic + options.
Price in Russia: є22900 29 900 ($ 30,000 39,000).

Audi A3 Sportback

Model with body
The 5-door hatchback is first shown at the Paris Motor Show in 2004.
Engines: gasoline 1.63.2 liters (102250 l.) And turbo diesel engines 1.92.0 TDI (105140 l. P.).
Gearboxes: Mechanical 5 or 6-speed (including sports DSG) and 6-speed automatic. Front or complete drive.
A complete set: Attraction, Ambition, Ambiente.
Price in Russia: $ 29,350,61,000.

Ah, handsome! What a assertive style, aggressive lines of the body. And the nameplate 120i is the same unit with a two-liter engine. And as an echo because of the spin approached closer: Look, see, this is a new BMW. Yes, they love this brand in Russia.
To Audi A3 Sportbek attention is not so stronger, despite the bright winning color. It is understandable, because in this class A3 for a long time not new to. It is necessary to look around, bypass around and only then it sounds: this is not just a treshka! Look, here there are five doors instead of three, and the car looks different: the proportions, headlights, the grille are changed. In the eyes of curiosity light, after all, the emblem with four rings skip in the wheel of the chosen.

In general, in size and appointment, our pair is a typical golf class, and the content of the elite is right. And the point here is not only as if on the rank of selected two-liter engines, six-speed automatic boxes or separate climates. Today, the lawmakers are proud of the intellectual potential of their products. Not only motors, transmissions or suspension, but also the reaction of the machine to the actions of the driver, its mutual understanding with the driver and the environment. Result All new active security systems. Dynamic resistance control, electronic blocking of differential, braking control, acceleration, etc. The content of concepts is the best, the worst is currently determined by the electronics that makes its own adjustments.

Cramole thoughts
In the glooming snowdrift, the outlines of the Bavar fell out of difficulty. Let's get acquainted until he gets ready. The turn signals were friendly, the door was welcomed, and I found myself in the anthracite semi-particle of the cabin. The keychain key softly clicked, entering a special slot: now click the large start / stop button on the front panel. The car is filled with alive sounds: Say, I am ready.

And I'm not yet. It is necessary to get used to the playful form of exterior mirrors and guess the dimensions, throwing a look into a disproportionately small window of the rear door framed by heavy racks. What is it, tribute to style or caring for passive security? It is precisely it that solves certain decisions. Small side windows, a wide middle rack, which is noticeably interfering in the exit, especially in winter clothes. On the one hand, strains, with the other you understand: inside the cockpit is not well protected.
Otherwise, BMW as BMW, let me forgive me for Kramol fans of the brand. A grip, comfortable steering wheel, perfectly verified profile and adjustment of the seats, compact and at the same time an informative combination of instruments. Touching the controls, it is better to feel that the cabin warms, so everything is thoughtful and individually. Only electronic, without fixing, the submissive switches fall out of the total idyll. Alas, such is fashion.
What is the back seat? For yourself, I, of course, sat down, though, stuck with his knees in the back. But the entry-out is torture, passing which you no longer want to be a passenger

And what is the visor's opponent? Audi seemed often in the expression of his own me. I take over the door handle: it already opened, she suddenly declines sharply back. Yes, the latch is here eh! A little more powerful spring and accurately fit into the car, which has been adjusted by an elastic door.
The hugs of a pure sport seats are more dense. It is no longer a relaxed and impoverish here, and the competitor allowed it. At the same time, the driver's landing itself is higher, and to get on the seat easier the middle body rack is somewhat elegant.
After watching, catching myself that the differences in ideology in general are insignificant. Of course, the style is somewhat different. Audi is more powerful to the tunnel, separating the driver and passenger, the front panel and individual diminkers are composed differently. However, the generality of the approach is obvious. What someone did not say, but the look clings for the floor gas pedal, small opening of the side and rear windows. Perhaps here in the interior design a little more sporting aggression.
But the back seat of the sport guard is much more humane. Here and get more convenient, and the knees do not rest in the back of the seated in front. It was convinced that the platform common with golf v provides loyal attitude to passengers.

Checked electronics
The first jerk of a piece from the traffic light fills the soul with a decision. Powerful flexible engine, fast and at the same time soft on the switching machine. This tandem shoots the car with a cannon-acceleration, at the same time allowing you to drag in traffic jams with a skuffing speed. While it is satisfied with everything: hard, dense suspension, instant responses to steering steering. And the sound! This is just a song. Even the intervention of electronic assistants does not look like annoying. But ahead of the kingdom of ice and snow, and on the way impressions change.

Output of overtaking on the lift-crawl: under the wheels of porridge from snow and sand. Gas, no, not in the floor, about 3/4 strokes and before that, a mighty yellow symbol of DTS (Dynamic Traction Control is essentially a stabilization system) Like a bugger from indignation, because on the road there is a slipway! And we hang on the oncoming lane, and without typing the speed. Moments later, the engine nevertheless begins to smoothly increase the revolutions, each time lingering on the stage safe in terms of slipping. Alas, I give up ahead ahead of the counter car.
And what if the strongly pressing on the toggle switch still disable DTS? The second attempt creates an active slip of the leading wheels (which means it is still not for nothing that BMW slowed down when overclocking), but the coursework deviations firmly stops electronics. Interesting sensations such when the car gives to feel the beginning of the slip, and then under the characteristic sounds of ABS returns from the skies to the ground they say, do not indulge.

No, after all, it will fit the cherished toggle switch longer, thus turning the entire controlling electronics. There is still such a function of the Bavar. Immediately, the released 150 horses are honest beginning to show character and BMW turns into a clot of energy, which is not so easy to manage in the snow.
Long time I did not experiment with rear-wheel drive! I wanted to go through this turn with a little drift, but the barbant's badge wilted the feed only time to wind the ram. Walk across the free platform. Rirate, the other, the third finally the forgotten skills appear. The automatic selector in manual mode, in a different way this projectile will not hold. And anyway, something is a bit wrong. A slightly twisted the engine machine spontaneously switched higher. As a result, the error is again, and one moves from a given trajectory.
On straight polygon is also restless. A little distracted, disperse 140150 km / h in winter standards, and again the car was not good enough, reminding the disconnected electronics. No, I will be enough to return everything to the circles. Let less emotionally, but safely. Still, no wonder the BMW engineers set up these wisdom.
Although, if you remember their creations of about ten years ago, then then on the cars it was possible to avoid this! Alas, times change. And now what causes a storm of emotions on asphalt, in the snow suddenly becomes either very boring or difficult for execution.

I do not hide, after the Bavar, the sport care does not initially cause strong emotions. Despite the well-thought-out ergonomics and bright driving opportunities, constantly catching yourself at the thought of something wrong. No, not that bad, but imperfect.
Here you are driving a microclimate control handle: it is frankly inferior to the BMW spinners. How I do not like the rattling sound of the motor or automatic control algorithm: at first all the time you get to the Sport position instead of DRIVE. Of course, it is worth sitting behind the ram of 1520 minutes, and you will get used to a lot, and the smart machine is adapted, but nevertheless.
Gradually, the nature of the Audi acquires increasingly interesting shades. In sports mode, the engine began to hold down low transmission longer and the car turned into a chain, an aggressive creature, not tolerant competitors. His reaction to the steering wheel is a little calmer, the suspension is slightly more comfortable, but the feeling of the machine and the outlined responses allow you to enjoy the control.

And the more snow on the road, the most expressive behavior A3. In general, in general, a set of active security systems, but in the front-wheel drive car all this is valid for other algorithms. When overclocking the stabilizing device (here the ESP Course Sustainability System is allowed to freely use the accelerator, allowing active slip of the drive wheels. Not so zealous cazing the car, and you gradually frankly. If I wanted to intervene on the BMW all the time, then I am holding a gas here and calmly wait until the car itself adjusts the degree of slippers, easily and easily completed the started. Great!
But in the soul Zudit: what if? And now the yellow symbol of the bright point lights up on the instrument panel electronics is disabled. Slotovka became much more noticeable, but still, from the heart heat out on the dynamometic road of the landfill, I easily bring the speedometer arrow to 200. And nothing provocative: you can smoke, looking at the surroundings.
The behavior of the car in turns, of course, is not so excit and effectively. However, minor errors say goodbye easier, and it is easier to manage it. In general, on a slippery road, priorities change very noticeably.
In the memory of the longtime dialogue with engineers or BMW, whether Mercedes. They argued that, remaining adherents of the advantages of the rear drive, would be able to defeat its flaws. So: managed, undoubtedly. But the evolution of the front-wheel drive cars was also not interrupted. And if in our particular case on asphalt priority for BMW, then on a slippery road Audi A3 sportbek is easier, more accurate and more interesting.

SUMMARY
BMW 120i driving opportunities, as always, are great. An excellent means of self-expression, but not on a slippery road.
+ Excellent workplace ergonomics, pronounced ride and acoustic qualities, a very high intellectual level.
- Tesne for rear passengers, missing spare.

SUMMARY
Audi A3 Sportback Excellent tool for faster ride lovers, if desired, it turns into a family vehicle.
+ It is convenient for the driver and passengers, expressive in its capabilities, adapted to the Russian conditions, is well prepared intellectually.
- Moderate acoustic comfort, hard locking doors.